Watch-movement guard



. July 3o, 1929. J. BULQVA 1,122,969

WATCH MOVEMENT GUARD Original Filed July 16. 1925 /o INVENTOI? MS Afro/mfr Patentedv July 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH BULOVA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO BULOVA WATCH COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION F NEW YORK.

WATCH-MOVEMENT GUARD.

'Application led July 16, 1925, Serial'No. 43,965. Renewed November 17, 1927.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are:

To provide a guard positioned to prevent admission of foreign matter to the works of the watch; to provide a novel and improved watch movement guardV adapted completely to enclose the movement; to provide an improved guard of this character wherein the movementmay be inspected 1o Without removing the guard therefrom; to provide an improved guard for a watch movement having means for frictional engagement with the movement. Drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical section. through a watch casing and movement guard with the watch movement shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through a watch casing with the movement guard po sitioned therein and shown in elevation;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the guard;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View corresponding to Figure 1 and illustrating a modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective partly in section of the movement guard shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section .illustrating the connecting engagement between elements of the guard.

Description.

The guard of the present invention is designed for employment in connection with small and delicate wrist watches and watches of the ornamental type, wherein it is desired to construct a watch in a minimum of space. In the ordinary construction of such watches the movement is constructed upon a plate 10 on which are mounted the necessary springs and gears the whole forming a unitary construction. The movement as a unit is disposed within a section 11 of the watch casing which section is adapted to receive thereover a back or closure portion 12 in tight fitting engagement to form the watch casing. The front section 11 is provided with an internal Hange 12a adjacent its periphery carrying a watch crystal 13 which is extended over the hands 14 operating over the dial 15 of the watch movement 10, forming the face of the watch. As is usual in the construction Yof these watches the plate 10 is provided with a marginal recess 16 adjacent the spindle 17 of the winding stem for the watch.

In the ordinary construction of this type of watch, it has been found that dirt and foreign matter enters the watch movement through the recess formed in the plate 10 of the movement7 even though disposed within the watch casing. This objectionable feature is eliminated in the present invention by the provision of a movement guard 18 formed of metal or other suitable material substantially in the shape of a truncated inverted cone to provide an annular open ended casing section. One end, such as the larger end of the guard 18 is offset and provided with an upstanding flange 19 which is adapted to be bent internally over the offset shoulder 20 to engage over and retain a sheet of glass, celluloid or other transparent material 21. The connection between these elements is illustrated in Figure G wherein the flange 19 is shown in upright position and in engaged or fastening position. The offset shoulder 20 forming part of this construction seats over the end or edge of the casing section 11 and affords means for withdrawing the guard ring through the open end of this casing section; by inserting a blade or the finger nail between the shoulder and the casing section. The movement may come away from the casing section with the guard ring, or if it should remain in the casing section it would be freely movable.

In application the guard 18 is applied over the rear of the watch movement 10 with its lower rim 22 resting upon the overhang of the movement plate; the restricted contracting sides of the guard frictionally engaging over the walls of the movement plate as clearly illustrated in Figure 1 while the sides at the larger end frictionally engage the casing 11. The lower edge 22 of the guard is provided with a depending flange 23 adapted when in position to engage over and close the recess 16 in the movement plate. Adjacent the flange 23 the wall of the guard is apertured as at 24 to receive in close fitting engagement the stem 17 of the winding spindle therethrough.

In a watch construction of the type herein exemplified the stem spindle 17 is held engaged with the movement by means of an internal detent controlled by a minute IUT) set screw (not shown). In order to provide for access to the detent holding screw, the transparent member 2l is provided with a small bore extending therethrough adjacent the spindle aperture 24 Vwhereby access may be had to the detent operating screw.

In the modified construction illust-rated in Figure 4: the guard 18 is substantially cylindrical conforming to the shape of the Watch movement 10, and is provided vvith a laterally olset cylindrical portion 26 hav-V ing an inturned Harige 27 for Vengagement thereunder of a transparentmovement cover plate 28.. In this modiiication the guard portion comprising the enlargement 26 engages against the Wall ofthe casing section 1l binding the movement and the guard in posit-ion.

' Claims :V` l. In a Watcha casing section open at one end7 a unitary movementdisposed With'- in said casingsection, an annulaiopen ended guard member surrounding said movement7 said guard member being angled intermediate its ends for frictional engagement at one end With said movement and forrictional engagement at the other end With said casing section, said casing 'section en:- gaging end of the guard 4member having an outward ange formed therein for seating over' the open end of said casing section, an inturned terminal on said iiange, and a movement cover member retained on said .guard member beneath said inturned flange.

2. In a Watch, a casing section open at one end, a unitary movement disposed Within said casing section, an annular open ended guard member. surrounding and fric intur-ned flange. Y Y n JOSEPH BULOVA.y 

